Using Claim Evidence Reasoning in Science Instruction
Students need to be able to ask questions as a scientist would or solve problems as an engineer would. As students engage in the science and engineering practices, they are actively creating, analyzing, and evaluating. It is also important that students develop a structure of learning in which they engage in the science and engineering practices. This structure is needed so that students can logically move from a question or problem to an evidence-based conclusion. This structure comes in the form of scientific and engineering practices, the same way that scientists and engineers use practices to guide them.
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The claim-evidence-reasoning comes in when students are asked to form a conclusion.This conclusion should be based on evidence such as lab work, research, readings and more.
CER
A claim that answers a question
Evidence from students’ data
Reasoning that supports a scientific principle with examples as evidence
Science and Engineering Practices and CER
There are two science and engineering practices that align well with the strategy of CER. Engaging in argument from evidence and obtaining, evaluating and communicating information are perfectly aligned with Claim-Evidence-Reasoning as a strategy.
The claim-evidence-reasoning model provides students with an objective, scientific structure to support them in developing their conclusion. It helps students align their conclusions to the purpose of the investigation, using their evidence to create reasoning that then provides direction for further investigation of the topic at hand.
